Vanitha Selva joins WPP Media after nearly two decades at Carat Malaysia

Vanitha Selvathurai (pictured), formerly partner and head of Carat Malaysia, has joined WPP Media Malaysia as its new vice president for clients.

WPP Media Malaysia shared that she will play a key role in strengthening the agency's client leadership and deepening partnerships as it continues to build a business focused on delivering growth for its clients.

“I am delighted to welcome Vanitha Selva to WPP Media Malaysia as vice president, clients. Since joining us, she has already brought tremendous energy, leadership and client expertise to the business," Winnie Chen-Head, CEO, WPP Media Malaysia, told A+M. "With nearly two decades of media agency experience and a strong track record of industry leadership, she is a fantastic addition to our team."

Selvathurai's appointment comes at a pivotal time for WPP Media Malaysia, following recent wins including Ikea, Telekom Malaysia and the Estée Lauder Companies.

"As media, marketing and technology become increasingly connected in the AI era, our ambition is to build the next-generation media and marketing company in Malaysia," added Chen-Head.

"As a trusted growth partner to our clients, we are combining exceptional talent, innovation and AI-enabled capabilities to help brands navigate change, unlock opportunity and maximise the impact of their marketing investments," the CEO said. 

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Selvathurai had been with Carat Malaysia for nearly 18 years, including almost five years as partner and head of Carat. She first joined the agency as a planner before working her way up to business director, and subsequently deputy general manager.

Alongside her time at Carat under Dentsu, she also served as secretary of the Media Specialists Association of Malaysia from 2020 to 2024, before being appointed vice president of the organisation in May 2024. According to Selvathurai’s LinkedIn, she ended her tenure at MSA in March this year.

Last month, WPP Media named Winnie Chen-Head as the new CEO for Malaysia, reinforcing the network’s ambitions to drive growth and innovation in the market.

Chen-Head officially stepped into the role on 6 May, bringing with her more than 24 years of experience spanning e-commerce, aviation, telecommunications, tech startups and media agencies.

In her new role, she will oversee the Malaysia business as the agency network sharpens its focus on integrated, business-driven media strategies and future-ready capabilities for clients.

Prior to joining WPP Media, Chen-Head was the CEO of OMG Malaysia, but departed following the completion of Omnicom's global acquisition of IPG in December 2025. She had also been the managing director for media at dentsu Malaysia, overseeing three agency brands Carat, dentsuX, and iProspect.

Her appointment follows the departure of Arshan Saha, who was the Malaysia and Singapore CEO of WPP Media. He had been with the network for 13 years.

He has since joined global digital advertising enablement firm Aleph as regional managing director for Asia Pacific, and is responsible for scaling the company's footprint, strengthening platform partnerships, and maximising value for advertisers and partners across the region's diverse markets.

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